Workshop Title: Panel 4: Disaster Planning - Lessons Learned from Katrina, Rita, and Their Sisters: Evacuating, Euthanizing, Rescuing, and Rebuilding

Transcription

1 Workshop Title: Panel 4: Disaster Planning - Lessons Learned from Katrina, Rita, and Their Sisters: Evacuating, Euthanizing, Rescuing, and Rebuilding Date: Tuesday, March 28 Time: 2:15 3:30 PM Room: Imperial Ballroom FAIR USE: This may contain copyrighted ( ) material which is made available without profit for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law.

2 DISASTER PLAN OUTLINE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA PRIM&R IACUC CONFERENCE March, 2006 M. Michael Swindle, DVM Introduction The purpose of developing a Departmental Emergency Operations and Business Contingency Plan is to document an effective preparation and response strategy for emergencies. The definition of an emergency is any catastrophe of a magnitude sufficient to result in suffering or hardship to the population. This condition could result from natural or man-made events such as flood, hurricane, crippling storm, explosion, massive fire, and/or enemy attack. Your plan should be developed in a manner to ensure mission critical functions of your area will continue in the event of an emergency. When developing response actions, consideration should be given to the possibility of the loss or interruption of normal resources such as water, electricity, or building damages. Your plan should address the following: 1. Identify a Departmental Emergency Response Team 2. Develop a procedure to establish contact with your department personnel after the emergency 3. Establish procedures to ensure operations are prepared for an emergency (Continual Phase) 4. Develop procedures for continual operation of mission-critical processes (Disaster Impact) 5. Assess damage to work area and complete Property Loss Forms (Post Event Phase) 6. Restart departmental activities (Post Event Phase) 1

3 Guidelines for Preparing Your Emergency Operations and Business Contingency Plan Section I Department Emergency Response Team (ERT) This team consists of Designated personnel within your department. The members of this team will be responsible for initiating the Emergency Operations and Business Contingency Plan for your department, as well as coordinating efforts within your department to return to normal working conditions. 1. Personnel / Chain-of-Command & Phone Numbers List each employee within your department. The list should have their home and office telephone numbers and the employee should be listed in order of authority. Indicate who is responsible for executing the Emergency Operations and Business Contingency Plan (the Emergency Plan Coordinator) with an asterisk (*). 2. Faculty and Staff Contact Develop a procedure for the department to follow in order to establish contact with all (Designated and Non-Designated) personnel after the emergency. The purpose of establishing contact is to assess the status of each employee and their ability to return to work. Consider developing a telephone tree. Veterinarians Facility Manager Supervisors Caretakers The veterinarian in charge will notify the facility manager. He will notify the supervisors. The supervisors will notify their caretakers. Phone numbers will be programmed into cell phones. Maintain a current list of all personnel names and phone numbers. Section II Preparation and Response Steps 1. Continual Established procedures to be conducted on a regular basis to ensure the department is prepared for an emergency. Develop a plan to be used throughout the year to prepare for an emergency. This plan should include: The identification of mission critical processes. animal husbandry and welfare A list of mission critical support services needed to continue mission critical processes. (ie., utility needs, information technology support, ancillary services). HVAC, water, food An inventory of department equipment. Inventory maintained by facility manager A process for securing purchase orders, or other documentation to identify the equipment. Business Manager maintains a plan 2

4 The roles, responsibility and authority of all Designated personnel in the department during an emergency Key personnel listed here. 2. Disaster impact Established post disaster procedures. These procedures should be developed in a manner consistent with the idea MUSC will continue operating its critical missions without vital resources such as water, electricity, roofs, etc. Procedures should be established in the event that normal business or academic activities are suspended for several days. No animal orders, no surgeries, monitor animal health and care for animals Establish what resources, if any are critical during disaster impact. HVAC, water, animal food Establish procedures for ERT to continue monitoring MUSC information resources for up-to-date information concerning the disaster s impact on MUSC. On-line or personnel contact with Provost. 3. Post Event Established procedures to be conducted when the event has occurred. Establish procedures to contact all personnel (designated and non-designated) within your department to determine the status of each employee, as well as to update them on the condition and expectations of MUSC. Faculty and staff will return to campus as soon as travel and campus conditions are safe. Daily contact with telephone tree (phones listed here) Establish procedures to begin preliminary damage assessment of office areas and work stations Supervisors inspect and inventory Establish procedures to determine what essential supplies, equipment, space, personnel, etc. are needed in order to restart the department s business or academic activity. HVAC, water, food, bedding, electricity 3

5 Action Steps 1. Continual Identify the on-going activities that could be affected by the emergency. Key activities are maintenance of animals health and welfare and continuation of animal husbandry. Keep on hand 2 weeks of food and bedding. Keep enough euthanasia solution to euthanize all animals 2. Disaster Impact The telephone tree will be utilized to contact key personnel, make decisions and bring needed workers to facility. 4. Post-Event Identify damages. Start process of repairs and procurement using the university system. 4

6 DISASTER PLAN: GENERAL POLICY DIVISION OF LABORATORY ANIMAL RESOURCES (DLAR) & RALPH H. JOHNSON VA MEDICAL CENTER VETERINARY MEDICAL UNIT (VMU) 1. Any predictable disaster requires that the Director, DLAR / VMU or his designated veterinarian will be continuously on site at MUSC to oversee operations and make decisions until such time as a rotational veterinary schedule can be reestablished. In the event of an unforseen disaster, the senior veterinarian on site or the veterinarian on call will be authorized to make all decisions regarding animal care and welfare. 2. DLAR / VMU will follow the MUSC master plan ( and state guidelines for disasters with some specific principles regarding laboratory animals. A specific DLAR / VMU plan exists for predictable disasters, such as hurricanes. 3. Personnel are required to return to work as soon as possible following a disaster in accordance with state regulations. The telephone tree will be utilized in which the Director, DLAR / VMU or his designee will notify supervisors and supervisors will notify personnel under their direction of any decisions regarding the need for an onsite work force. 4. In all cases human safety will take priority over animal care. 5. Unpredictable disasters include fire, explosions, earthquakes, tornados, floods, bioterrorism, etc. Any disaster for which we receive sufficient warning, will follow procedures for the DLAR / VMU hurricane plan. 6. The Department of Public Safety and/or municipal agencies with specific jurisdictions, such as the fire or police department, will make the determination as to when it is safe for DLAR / VMU personnel to enter an animal facility after a disaster. 7. Animals will receive husbandry care in accordance with DLAR / VMU standards whenever it is possible. If sufficient DLAR / VMU personnel are not available to care for the animals, then research staff will be asked to volunteer to provide care. Technical services will be suspended in favor of providing basic care. 8. In the event that a disaster is of a magnitude that results in unrelieved animal suffering or a lack of food and/or water, then the animal population at risk will be euthanized in accordance with the recommendations of the American Veterinary Medical Association. This decision will be made by the Director, DLAR / VMU or his designee veterinarian in consultation with the on site President or Vice Presidents of MUSC. Sufficient injectable and inhalant euthanasia substances will be kept on site to ensure that the average daily population of animals can be euthanized. The IACUC has authorized DLAR / VMU to use physical forms of euthanasia if necessary. 5

7 CHECK LIST FOR VETERINARIANS AND SUPERVISORS 1. Contact supervisors and determine the staffing that is available. 2. Assign staff to assess the status of animals and buildings. 3. Define the Physical Plant limitations. Ask the Physical Plant for help if necessary. 4. Define the needs that can only be handled by input from Central Administration and contact the Vice President on duty. 5. Determine if euthanasia is necessary. 6. Establish a plan to care for the animals. 7. Communicate with investigators if possible. The Division of Laboratory Animal Resources (DLAR) & Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center Veterinary Medical Unit (VMU) Hurricane Protocol The National Hurricane Center will accurately keep all persons informed of expected wind strength, storm path, and the extent of flooding by rainfall and storm surge. This important information will determine the degree of preparation needed if a hurricane should strike our area. I. These basic steps will need to be taken by our department when a hurricane warning is in effect: A. Determine the number of staff members needed to be identified as essential based on animal population B. Contact MUSC Public Safety Department and Physical Plant to inform them of the department's plans during the hurricane C. Autoclave food and bedding for 7 day coverage D. Bring a 7 day food supply up from locker in the Basic Sciences Bldg. E. Place extra feed in all buildings F. Secure extra medication for animals G. Fill all trash cans with water H. Collect the following necessary supplies: 1. two way radios or cellular phones 2. sleeping bags 3. flash lights 4. extra batteries 5. pagers 6. battery powered radios 7. hygiene supplies 8. clean scrubs 9. water 10. non perishable items (bread, peanut butter, jelly, vienna links, potted meat, crackers, potato chips, powered milk, cereal) 11. coolers 6

8 I. Change all rodent and rabbit cages II. When the University deems that the disaster preparedness plan is in effect, the following will occur: A. At a minimum, the following personnel will be on a 24 hour shift or until relieved: 1. 2 employees for the Basic Science Building, the Psychiatry Building and the Hollings Oncology Building 2. 1 employee for the Research & Quadrangle Buildings B. All other personnel identified as essential will report as the University dictates. C. All elective surgeries will be canceled. D. One veterinarian or veterinary technician must remain at the facility during the storm. WEBSITES AND REFERENCES FOR INFORMATION Lab Animal Management Assoc. US Navy Tropical Storm Website US Navy Fleet Weather Website MUSC Website Swindle MM, Reed C, Wagner JL, Taylor LL: Hurricanes and animal care programs. Lab Animal, 22(7):25-31,